Circa 1905 Spalding Mushroom Bat

Vintage turn-of-the-century mushroom bat manufactured by Spalding. This was an early evolutionary design, with the knob resembling a mushroom, hence its name. It was thought that the unique knob design helped to distribute the weight of the bat, thereby offering better balance for the batter. Like most of the unusual bat designs during that era, the mushroom bat failed to catch on and now remains both a scarce and attractive relic from the earliest days of our national pastime. The bat displays the Spalding trademark logo in the center, with the name "Mushroom" and the patent date of "Pat Aug 1 05" stamped directly to the right. An wrap of vintage black tape (11.5 inches long) has been applied to the handle. The bat displays heavy use, most notably on the back of the barrel, where there is both severe deadwood and an approximate six-inch slat of wood missing. There is also a slight crack in the knob. Fortunately, nearly all of the flaws are not noticeable when viewed from the front, and when displayed properly, the bat has an overall Excellent appearance. Reserve $200. Estimate $400+. SOLD FOR $296

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